Sponsor: Workforce Solutions
Title
title
Agreement with Goodwill-Easter Seals for Minnesota Family Investment Program - Families Achieving Success Today Program
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Recommendation
recommendation
1. Approve the selection of and the agreement with Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota, 553 Fairview Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55106 to provide integrated services for Minnesota Family Investment Program Families Achieving Success Today program for the initial period of January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2023, with the option to renew up to one 2-year period for a 5 year period, in accordance with the rates established in the agreement.
2. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the agreement.
3. Authorize the County Manager to execute change orders and amendments to the agreement in accordance with the County’s procurement policies and procedures, provided the amounts are within the limits of available funding.
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Background
background
The primary objectives of the Families Achieving Success Today (FAST) program are to work with the whole family in a highly engaged and more meaningful way to increase the percentage of participants in paid employment and education levels through career building, family income, economic stability and well-being. FAST enrollees are more likely to obtain and maintain employment, enroll in social service programs, increase their education levels, engage in workforce programming and actively seek employment than their peers enrolled in mainstream employment services.
In 2011, Ramsey County Workforce Solutions piloted the FAST project that integrated services for pre-60 month Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) families with multiple barriers based on the Individual Placement and Support model (IPS), a well-documented best practice in the mental health community.
As a result of the success of the project and learnings achieved, Ramsey County Workforce Solutions released a Request for Proposals (RFP) in 2016 for the MFIP Families Achieving Success Today (FAST) program and continued to work with the selected vendor to provide IPS services to families. As of the end of December 31, 2020, the five-year term agreement will come to an end.
On June 24, 2020, Ramsey County released an RFP to seek a vendor to provide services for the MFIP FAST Program. The FAST program co-locates a multidisciplinary team, including mental and physical health providers, cultural elders and cultural services, county case managers and more to deliver a spectrum of coordinated full-family services in a safe, supportive and culturally attuned space.
The FAST program is a significant interest to the research and evaluation community because it is the first of its kind in the country and has consistently delivered positive outcomes. In 2019, Ramsey County was approached by Mathematica Policy Research to enter into a randomized control study of FAST to evaluate whether FAST program participants are better off than the control. The study is called NextGen and Ramsey County is expected to receive considerable financial and technical assistance resources from NextGen in 2021. If Ramsey County is awarded NextGen, the funds will be added to the agreement with Goodwill-Easter Seals to adequately support the study.
Below is a competitive solicitation summary:
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Title |
MFIP FAST Program |
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RFP released date |
June 24, 2020 |
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RFP response date |
August 6, 2020 |
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Number of contractors notified |
73 recipients received direct email notifications and the online DemandStar system sent out 282 notifications. |
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Number of RFP responses received |
2 |
|
Evaluation Committee |
1. Planning Specialist, Ramsey County Workforce Solutions 2. Employment Guidance Supervisor, Ramsey County Workforce Solutions 3. Program Supervisor, Dakota County Employment and Economic Assistance Department 4. Program Supervisor, Washington County Workforce Development Division |
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RFP Evaluation Criteria |
1. Contractor Qualifications 2. Key Personnel Qualifications 3. Project Understanding and Approach 4. Cost 5. Equity Analysis Qualification 6. Cultural Competence and Culturally Appropriate Services |
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Contractor recommended |
Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota |
The evaluation team evaluated the two proposals based on the criteria identified in the solicitation and is recommending Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota.
The term of the agreement will be for the initial period of January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2023, with the option to renew up to one 2-year period for a 5 year period, in accordance with the rates established in the agreement.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Since 2014, FAST has integrated cultural consultants into the programming through including community elders in case consultations, reviewing program materials, active involvement on the FAST Oversight Committee and directly working with FAST families to assist them with school, connecting to mental health services and participating in group activities. FAST employment counselors are leaders in referring families to the MFIP Partners for Equity vendors which produce better outcomes than traditional employment services. The racial equity impact of FAST continues to benefit BIPOC families even during the pandemic. FAST enrollees of all races and ethnicities working with placement specialists are about twice as likely to have kept their employment during the COVID-19 pandemic as non-FAST enrollees with similar mental and physical disabilities. Enrollees in FAST during the pandemic have been about 74% Black, Indigenous and People of Color and 26% White non-Hispanic and will continue similarly with approximately 1,000 families to be served during the initial term.
Community Participation Level and Impact
Ramsey County continues to engage and co-create programming with communities to ensure services and resources are directed in the most meaningful ways to families. Workforce Solutions is currently engaged in developing a department-wide community engagement plan for 2021 that will identify areas of further engagement opportunities around all services, including MFIP employment services. Below are some areas where community engagement currently occurs:
• Building partnerships with culturally specific organizations, educational institutions and employers
• Engaging cultural consultants in focused conversations with the community
• Investments in staff development and co-location across programs
• Community-based evaluation projects and feedback from program participants
• Program information sharing with the Workforce Innovation
• Collaboration with mental health community providers through service delivery
• Placement Specialists work more closely with employers
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☒ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Funding for the services are included in the Workforce Solutions 2021 approved budget. The source of the funding is the Minnesota Family Investment Program Consolidated Fund Block Grant. The estimated amount for services during the initial three years is $1,800,000.
County Manager Comments
County Board approval is required for new professional services agreements resulting from the Request for Proposals process.
For more information on FAST program, please see: <https://www.ramseycounty.us/sites/default/files/Work%20with%20Ramsey/FAST%20IPS%20Presentation%20.pdf>
Last Previous Action
On April 12, 2016, the County Board approved the selection of an Individual Placement and Support integrated services provider for MFIP families (Resolution B2016-097).
On December 22, 2015, the County Board authorized the issuance of a Request for Proposals for Individual Placement and Support integrated services for MFIP families (Resolution B2015-406).
Attachments
1. Professional Services Agreement